Wrong
by CrazyBeaver
Summary: A mission goes wrong, leaving Brandt injured, and Benji seems to be hiding something... More focused on Benji and Brandt, but the team is there, too. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So this is my new story… it's based on one of the drabbles written for the "10 songs" challenge. This chapter might appear a bit confusing but it will be cleared later. Hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible…_

**Chapter 1**

The current mission was evidently less impossible than some of the others. One would say it was easy, but this word was taboo in the IMF team. Brandt and Benji were breaking into a hotel room to get some files from its occupant's (Tom Henderson, suspected of countless crimes around the globe) computer. Benji went into the room, while the analyst stayed outside to look out and provide the cover if necessary. Ethan and Jane stayed outside the building to warn their teammates and possibly hold the unwanted intruders back.

Benji was all into his work. He couldn't help the grin which appeared on his face when he finally got into the system. "So easy," he muttered under his breath, when he suddenly felt something cold touch the back of his head.

"Really?" the voice was quiet enough to not be heard through Benji's mic but loud enough for the tech to hear. "They said you were good, agent Dunn".

For a second Benji was so shocked that he couldn't move a muscle. Just as the shock vaporized and he opened his mouth, he felt the barrel of the gun press harder against his head.

"Just flinch," the voice hissed, "and you're dead".

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Agent Brandt was bored. Generally, you can't get bored on a mission that often, but there you go. He listened to Benji's muttering in his earpiece, which was occasionally interrupted with some random lines from some songs. Obviously, the technician didn't even acknowledge doing all that, but it did distract the other agents.

"Benj, you have a great voice but could you please keep it down," William could barely stop himself from giggling.

"What? Oh, right, sorry," Brandt could practically see the embarrassment on his friend's face as he heard the response. It amused him even more. For a couple of minutes it was quiet. Then the analyst heard the tech murmur something that sounded like the word "easy". And then quiet again.

Five more minutes passed, and for Benji it seemed like a new record.

"You alright there?" Ethan's voice sounded.

"Yeah," Brandt responded. "All clear so far".

"Benji?" Ethan called when there was no response from the tech.

There was a silence which actually made the agents worry. Just as Brandt was about to enter the room, he heard the Brit's voice.

"Yes, I… I just need to focus… I—I'm sorry".

For a second it appeared to Brandt that his friend's voice was shaking. But he then assumed he was imagining stuff. He had to keep the lookout, after all.

There were a few more minutes of silence, which William found more tiring than all of Benji's chatter and his singing combined. And then it all exploded with sounds and noises.

"You've been given the wrong instructions!" Ethan yelled in Brandt's earpiece, his voice frantic and panicked. "The target might be somewhere near you! Get out of there!" _Shit_.

"Benji, have you heard that?" the analyst blurted out. "We've got to — argh!"

Something heavy hit him in the head, knocking him to the floor. At the same time there was a gunshot, and Brandt felt his shoulder was on fire. There was another gunshot from the opposite direction (seemingly from where the bin that had knocked him down had come from), and there was silence again.

"Brandt?" Benji ran up to him and knelt by his side, still holding his gun. "Brandt!" the tech helped the analyst into a sitting position, just in time for William to see another gunman behind his friend and react appropriately, taking the guy out with one shot.

"Sorry, I had to move you out of their bullets' way," Dunn looked sheepish. "Couldn't just shout, had to take them by surprise… I didn't quite do it as well as I was supposed to…"

"It would have been worse if I had remained standing though," Brandt interrupted, rubbing his forehead and trying to figure out how bad the wound in his shoulder was, as he looked down to see his mic completely destroyed. When he turned his gaze up to his friend, he noticed Benji was still kneeling there, unmoving, with his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth in a single thin line.

"Are you alright?" William asked, surprised at how much weaker his voice had become in mere seconds. Benji finally forced his eyes to open, and for a moment Brandt thought he saw tears ready to slide down.

"Let's get you out of here," the tech nearly whispered, helping Brandt to stand up and supporting him as they hurried out of the hotel.

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Jane Carter had gotten the team leader's alarm call and hurried to the hotel, only to bump into her teammates.

"Oh, thank God!" she sighed, but then saw the analyst's shoulder, blood soaking through both his and the technician's clothes. She helped Benji get him to the van and started inspecting the wound, as Ethan sped up to the nearest hospital. Benji was sitting in the back, too. As soon as he heard Jane say that Brandt's wound wasn't life threatening, he fell into a weird apathetic state, staring into nothing all the way to the hospital. Jane noticed that but decided to save the talk till the next time.

At the hospital, however, things didn't change. As Brandt was wheeled to the surgery, Benji kept sitting with the same distant look. Finally, when Ethan went to talk to the doctors, Jane decided she had to find out what it all was about.

"He'll be fine," she started a bit awkwardly. Benji nodded.

"Yeah," he looked at his watch and sighed.

"So what's wrong with you? You're not yourself right now…"

Benji smiled bitterly. The expression was kind of odd on his face, and it made Carter cringe.

"And you know exactly what my "self" is?" he asked. Jane was confused with this question.

"I'm just tired of this all," he went on. Jane's confusion only grew. Benji looked at his watch again. "People aren't always what you think they are, Jane. Being an agent, you should know it better than anyone".

Jane stared at him, as worry grew inside her. What was he talking about?

The tech made another bitter smile.

"I need some fresh air," he said, rubbing his eyes. "Tell Brandt I said hi if I'm not there when he wakes up".

With that, he turned to the door and went outside, leaving Jane completely lost and utterly shocked by the weirdness of the entire talk.

Two hours later Brandt was out of the surgery, with Ethan and Jane expecting him to wake up. Jane had told the team leader about her talk with the tech, and now they were also waiting for him either to come back, or to give them any signal. Carter decided she wanted some coffee. As she took her purse and opened it, she saw something white inside it. When she took the piece of paper out and unfolded it, she felt shivers down her spine…


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So here is chapter 2… I hope it's good enough…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible…_

**Chapter 2**

"…They said you were good, agent Dunn".

_How does he know my name? Why is he here? Is Brandt alright? And just WHAT on EARTH is going on?_ All those thoughts rushed through the technician's head, but he never got to ask any of those questions, as the barrel pressed against his head harder.

"Just flinch," the voice hissed, "and you're dead".

Benji froze on spot, not having much of a choice. At the same time he felt sharp pain in his shoulder. He gasped, not daring to react.

"Never mind that, we'll get back to it later," the voice behind his back said calmly. Benji assumed it was Tom Henderson. Who else could it be?... "And now would you mind opening the file "Targets" for me?"

Dunn fought the shiver in his hands as he obeyed. His insides froze when he saw every member of his team on the screen: Ethan standing by the van, Jane sitting on a bench not far from the hotel, and Brandt still in the same corridor just outside the room.

"Needless to say, I have a way of… dealing with them," Henderson sounded absolutely contented. Benji swallowed hard. That and the fact that Henderson knew his name, combined with their obvious disinformation, meant it was serious. There must be a leak in the headquarters…

"But it's not the best part," Henderson cooed, putting his free hand on Benji's shoulder, which now felt slightly numbed. "The best part is that in about two hours you will become a threat to everyone except for me and my people".

The technician unwillingly raised his head, making the gun push at it even harder.

"You see, what you got there…" he squeezed the shoulder, and it felt like electric impulses were sent through it – a feeling Benji knew shouldn't be there, "was my new invention. It's like a virus. A fatal one. A painful death – and nobody will find the cause. Only it's a bit more predictable. In two hours it will become contagious. Unless the people around you have taken the antidote".

Benji rolled his eyes. It was just cartoonish. Such rubbish just couldn't exist, it was like straight out of an overly clichéd spy movie.

"I know you think I might be bluffing," Henderson seemed to be reading the tech's mind. "You can think that. But would you risk it all?"

Ethan and Brandt were yelling in Benji's earpiece, which made him flinch. Maybe, if he didn't answer, they would break in and end this madness?

"Come on, you don't want to make your friends worry," Henderson purred. _Great, so he's listening to our line._

"Yes, I… I just need to focus… I—I'm sorry," Dunn hadn't expected his voice to shake that much.

"Very good, Benjamin. But let us get back to our business. What I need from you is a little favor. I could find another technician, but I heard you were one of the best. Besides, I like the thought that an intelligence agent will be helping me – such irony! So, if you help me with my plans, your team will live. And you will get the antidote. If you refuse… or attack me when I let you go, you are all dead. If you don't come back in time, your team will be dying because of you. Or whoever happens to be near you. So you have less than two hours to make the needed excuses so that you won't be followed"…

Benji's mind was racing. He couldn't contact the headquarters because there obviously were Henderson's people there. Telling the team the truth wouldn't probably work, either. Not enough time. However, there was another thought. He could bring Henderson's plans down from the inside. Agents sometimes work as "moles" in such schemes. Here he was _invited_ into the scheme. It was like his personal mission. And he chose to accept it.

Suddenly he spotted movement on the part of the screen showing Brandt. Not surprised by the fact that the gun wasn't at his head anymore, he sped up towards the door. _Brandt will possibly be mad at me for throwing the bin at his head. But at least he'll live. Or will he?_

"Brandt?" Benji ran up to him and knelt by his side, still holding his gun. "Brandt!"

For a moment the tech felt the panic inside him rise higher than ever, as he saw all the blood his friend was losing. The Brit barely registered his own apologies when he heard Henderson's voice in his earpiece.

"_You've got 90 minutes to come back here. No cheating. You know what is at stake_".

"Are you alright?" Brandt sounds so weak…

"Let's get you out of here".

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Benji could almost physically feel the adrenaline wearing off, as the horror of the situation finally dawned on him in its full volume. Trying to keep his thoughts in order, he just sat staring into the air. Maybe Henderson wouldn't kill the team, but he was unlikely to let Benji live, despite his own promise. Especially if Dunn ruined his plans, as he had determined to be his mission. And how on earth was he supposed to leave the team without them looking for him? And then he had an idea. Maybe it wasn't that plausible and was quite cruel, but he was desperate, running out of time. He took a piece of paper and started writing. His little talk with Jane might just fit in…


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Wow, thanks for all the reviews! You are so great! This chapter is quite short, but I hope it doesn't disappoint you…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 3**

The silence in the room was unbearable, but neither agent Carter nor agent Hunt knew what to say. Agent Brandt was still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to all the madness that was going on around him. Jane was still holding the note in her hand. She had already re-read it twice but her brain still refused to process it. Ethan was seemingly in the same state, but it was difficult to tell what was in his mind. Jane started to read the note once again, as if believing that it was some kind of a puzzle game and she would figure it out if she read it enough times.

"_Guys,_

_I am very sorry for leaving you like this, but it just can't go on. I know you won't understand but don't be angry at me. Everything has just become too complicated, and I got tired of hiding it behind the smiles and silly jokes. I am ill, and it will only get worse. I wanted to wait until the end of the mission but it became too much to handle. I can't deal with this anymore, and I don't want you to see it. I'm afraid there is only one way to end this. Thank you for being with me all this time. You were like a family to me, and it really hurts to upset you. I am sorry, and goodbye._

_Love,_

_Benji._

_P.S. Take care of Brandt and make sure he'll get back to normal soon. I'd be upset if he gave up on the plans he had told me about"._

Carter finished reading and kept staring at the note without blinking, until all the lines started mixing together in front of her eyes.

"What is this?" she finally forced. Her voice was reduced to whisper, not only because she didn't want to disturb the sleeping agent, but also because of the lump in her throat.

Ethan shrugged, unwilling and unable to state the painfully obvious.

"Guess this is the explanation to your recent conversation," he finally replied, standing up and walking towards the window.

"But how come we didn't notice anything?" tears were sliding down Jane's cheeks.

"We all have our secrets," Ethan sighed, glancing at the sleeping analyst, wishing to be in his place right now.

"What are we going to do?" it was the question Ethan Hunt didn't know the answer to. There was another heavy silence, which ended when Brandt started to stir and opened his eyes.

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_That was lame_, Benji thought for like a hundredth time, as his taxi was on its way to the hotel. _It's just one note and you can't write it._ _They should add a course of writing suicide notes to the training._

Benji shook his head, forcing himself to face the reality, no matter how surreal it looked. Thinking about this virus thing gave him a headache, as he still wasn't sure whether to believe it or not. He started wondering what exactly the favor Henderson wanted from him was. It was unlikely Henderson was staying at the same hotel, after two people had been killed there. He would soon find that out, anyway.

He thought back to his actions. There was one thing about the whole situation he could be proud of. At least something was done right. Although it didn't depend entirely on him. Benji then tried to imagine his teammates' reaction. It must have been devastating. He felt sorry about it, he really did. He could have probably gone with another excuse but this one just popped into his mind, and there wasn't enough time to think any more. He didn't even get to say goodbye properly. His scene with Jane was hardly a goodbye he would have liked to say. He couldn't remember if he had talked to Ethan at the hospital at all. And Brandt… He wished he could have stayed there for just a bit, just to make sure of William's recovery. _Hopefully, the note will tell them enough. Because_, Benji's eyes widened in realization, _there was practically no lie in that note_. And his mission was pretty much a suicide one.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you for your wonderful reviews! Love you all! I hope you enjoy this one…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 4**

"Agent Dunn, there you are," never before had a human voice made Benji feel more physically sick. "I am glad you've agreed to help me".

The technician chose not to respond.

"And of all the explanations you could have made, you went with a suicide note?" the tone was mocking, and it made the tech clench his teeth. He had been expected that. He knew his team was being watched. The question was, for how long. And whether Henderson's actions stopped on just watching.

"I hope you wouldn't mind going on a little trip with me. Let us make it a surprise, though, shall we?"

Benji looked up in dull acknowledgement as he felt another puncture in his shoulder. Just in a few seconds he went completely limp, one of Henderson's guards preventing him from falling down to the ground.

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Jane and Ethan were standing in the corridor, anticipating a hard talk with their analyst. They had no idea how to tell him about what had happened. Both of them jumped when the door opened, letting out a doctor.

"You can go to him now, he's doing fine," the doctor smiled. "Just don't exhaust him too much; he can't process information that fast now, with his concussion…"

"Concussion?" Jane repeated.

"What concussion?" Ethan looked just as confused. The doctor shrugged.

"I don't know, ask him about it".

The agents exchanged glances, sighed and went into the room.

"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked, not knowing any better way to start the conversation. William smirked.

"Great," he deadpanned, watching his friends get closer and sit on the chairs by his bed.

"The doctor said you had a concussion," Jane fought for her voice to sound stronger. "What happened?"

"Didn't Benji tell you? He threw a bin at me. I'm gonna kick his ass when I get out of here," he smirked once again. "Still, it would be worse if he hadn't done that," Brandt's features became more serious. "Guess I owe him a thank you. Where is he, by the way?"

There was a pause, during which the analyst moved his gaze from Ethan to Jane. Had she been crying?

"He's not here," Ethan mentally kicked himself for such a stupid reply.

"No shit," Brandt chuckled, beginning to feel a bit nervous.

"He got called to the headquarters," that didn't sound convincing even to Ethan himself. He noticed Jane shoot a glance at him but ignored it. "Something urgent, I don't know".

Luckily, Brandt was too tired to pay much attention. He murmured "So he ran away? I'm definitely gonna kick his ass…" and was asleep again within seconds.

It was then that Ethan decided to answer Jane's glare.

"We'll tell him when he gets better," he whispered, and his teammate forced a nod.

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Benji Dunn didn't like waking up and not knowing where he was. This hadn't happened to him since university. This time, however, it was so much more serious. He looked around him with wildly opened eyes, unable to tell the floor from the ceiling and feeling like on board a ship during a bad storm. He tried to get up but his muscles disagreed with his brain, and he plastered himself on the floor.

"Beginning to believe me now?" Benji finally managed to fix his eyes on the man standing nearby and looking down at him with a sickening smile. "But don't worry. We can make you feel better. At least for a while".

"Is this your plan?" the technician asked, realizing it was actually the first time he ever talked back to Henderson, which brought an expression of true amusement to the man's face. "Spreading the virus and becoming the one who invents the cure?"

"You sound disappointed," Henderson's tone didn't change a bit.

"It's so old," Benji winced, feeling hot all of a sudden. "Nothing original".

"But quite effective," Henderson smiled. "You'll get convinced in it if you aren't yet".


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you SO MUCH for your reviews! You are so amazing! I hope you enjoy this one, too :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything about the M:I series._

**Chapter 5**

Benji knew it wasn't going to last long. Every few hours he had to be injected with the antidote, which was clearly not enough to cure him but managed to keep him going. He needed it literally like a drug addict, but had no idea what it actually was. Every time after the injection the symptoms started developing faster, so the intervals became shorter and shorter. Being completely isolated from the outside world, he couldn't tell how much time had passed.

Working for Henderson naturally meant he had access to quite some information. And Henderson seemed to have no idea, exactly how _much_ information that meant. The tech had to be careful though, as he was constantly being watched. So far all he could figure out about the "virus" was that its contagious phase was temporary, meaning there still was a chance for him to escape. Somehow. Only he needed the antidote, otherwise there was no point in escaping. And he knew his team was still being watched. In fact, the thoroughly detailed reports from Henderson's people were constantly coming straight to the room he was in. So that he wouldn't doubt in the seriousness of the threats.

Henderson's "big day" was getting closer. The virus was about to be spread across the planet, and it was up to Benjamin Dunn to make it happen at the precise needed moment… Or, better to say, to make it NOT happen.

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Ethan Hunt had more than one concern, too. He tried to think about the mole in the headquarters, but the stress of the situation didn't let him fully concentrate. What had happened to Benji was just… it was out of normal. Few things they dealt with could be called normal, but this was wrong and contradicted all the laws of the universe. Yes. It was just wrong. Ethan tried to remember what they could possibly have missed, anything that could have predicted the tech's actions. He had always been so cheerful and full of life it was hard to believe it had all been a mask. Even though Ethan had heard such statements too many times.

Brandt's increasing suspicions didn't help matters, either.

"So he's at the HQ and his phone isn't responding because he's busy," the analyst sounded more incredulous every time he said it.

Jane would shoot a glance at Ethan who would shake his head. _Not now_. He knew Brandt had probably recovered enough to receive the news but simply didn't know how to tell him. Especially after they had been lying to him for several days.

Things got worse when the doctors said Brandt could be released from hospital.

"Great," he cheered. "So now I can just go and kick Benji's ass for not getting in touch. And then I'll probably kick yours for being so unhelpful".

Ethan was actually scared by Jane's glare this time. As Brandt started packing his things, the team leader sighed and came up to her.

"We're gonna tell him now. I just need some fresh air," those words gave Jane a flashback she didn't need. Her face started to crumple.

"I'll be back soon," Ethan hurried to add, opening the door.

Finally he felt free, having shaken off the pressure of his teammates being there all the time. He thought he might contact Luther and tell him about the mole… but he wasn't sure he could contact him without being listened to. As he walked past a darkened passage, he caught some movement in his peripheral view. It could be anything, a random passerby, or just a drunk but his hunches told him otherwise. He kept walking for a while, and soon was sure he was being followed. Having chosen a moment when there was nobody around, he turned to an empty alley and hid behind a corner. Just as the follower closed in, looking at the alley hesitantly, Ethan made his move.

Two minutes later he dialed Jane's number, a crashed comm. in his hand.

"I need your help," he breathed as soon as he heard Carter's voice. "Let Brandt finish packing. I'm just 'round the corner".

As soon as she showed up, Ethan quickly explained what had happened.

"So he's watching us, but refuses to tell who sent him," he summed up. "Maybe you can make him a bit more cooperative…"

The light in Jane's eyes told Ethan the guy would talk before she even came closer to him. He had heard about her methods from Benji during some rare mentions of the failed Budapest mission. And now he was witnessing them by himself. She seemed to be letting all of her anger out, after having been suppressing it for the past days.

"Who are you working for?" she growled when she thought the guy had had enough.

"Tom Henderson," came a whimper of a response. Ethan closed his eyes in concentration.

"We know he has his man in the IMF," Hunt tried to sound calm. There were other questions he wanted to ask but he assumed the man didn't have much time and this one seemed to be most important. "Who is he?" He nodded at the response. Luther was going to get a message after all.

"What does Henderson want with us?" that was the second most important question in Ethan's list. But it didn't get a response, as the goon's eyes closed.

"He's done," Jane commented with no emotion after checking his vitals.

Ethan closed his eyes again. They've lost another asset. But he wouldn't blame Jane for that under such circumstances.

"Okay," he said quietly. "I'll call Luther, and you deal with him," he pointed at the lifeless form on the ground. "Meet you at the hospital".

Soon enough they were both standing in front of the door to Brandt's hospital room. There was a very difficult talk ahead of them. Letting out a shared sigh, they went inside… and froze.

Brandt was sitting on the bed, wearing his normal clothes now. In his now shaking hand he was holding a too familiar piece of paper. He heard his fellow agents enter the room but didn't bring himself to react at once. When he finally looked at them, his expression was unreadable.

"What is this?" he asked quietly, his voice's shaking matching the one of his hand's.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your reviews! I love you all so much! You are just amazing! I hope you enjoy this chapter…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 6**

Ethan and Jane were both patronized by Brandt's glare, feeling they couldn't move a muscle. They hadn't imagined the talk could be any harder than they had expected, and yet it happened.

"What. Is. This," Brandt repeated, sounding increasingly angry with every word. He wanted an explanation that would make sense. Maybe it wasn't what it looked like. Maybe it was… something else, and he just couldn't come up with what it actually might be. His teammates' reaction, however, proved him otherwise. He shut his eyes tightly.

"So this is what "went to the HQ" means?" he asked. When he opened his eyes again, there were tears in them, ready to fall.

Jane sighed.

"We were going to tell you. You… you weren't ready…" she tried to sound calm but failed.

"And when did you think I _would_ be ready?" Brandt wasn't even trying to stay quiet anymore. "It's nice to see you're getting better, Brandt. You're doing great, Brandt. Everything is fine, Brandt. Let's just completely ignore the fact that Benji has apparently gone and _killed himself_!"

The last two words were pronounced with added force, which made Carter flinch. She and Ethan had never used those words directly, and now it struck them really deep. That is, it struck Jane, as Ethan kept his calm appearance and looked like a statue.

The team leader let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

"It was my decision," he finally said coldly, not letting emotions get in the way. "In the state you were in you could have taken the… news… badly…" Ethan was surprised at how childishly weak his argument sounded.

"Oh, so there could be a time when I could take this _news_ well?" the analyst laughed bitterly.

Hunt swallowed, knowing that what he was about to say was going to make Brandt even angrier.

"We'll have time to talk about this, but now we have to focus. We have some other problems right now…"

"What, has a nuclear war broken out? Is a giant asteroid moving towards Earth?" the analyst still couldn't let go of his anger. The throbbing pain he began to feel in his skull wasn't helping. "What else have you been keeping from me all these days?"

"A few minutes ago we killed one of Henderson's people who had been watching us. We don't know why he had been sent. Neither do we know whether there will be more of them. Or what Henderson's actions might be, especially after his man at the IMF headquarters has been made," keeping it professional helped Ethan a lot.

Brandt shut his eyes, as the pain in his head grew. That was definitely too much information.

"So what's the plan then?" he finally asked.

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Benji was sitting at his now usual place, having to listen to one of Henderson's men describe his teammates' actions. The feeling that his friends were in constant danger made the technician sick. Or maybe it wasn't this feeling what made him sick. He felt sick all the time anyway.

"Hunt is exiting the hospital," he heard a hissed whisper. "Following him down the street…"

For a few seconds there was only the soft noise of the cars passing by, when suddenly it was cut off abruptly. Benji froze, not knowing how to react and what to make of it. He had an almost certain feeling he knew what had happened. He had no idea how to feel about it though. If Ethan had taken care of that guy, there was a chance for the team to disappear into safety, which was a great relief. On the other hand, Henderson might have more _resources_ ready to take care of the agents in case things went out of control. In this case Benji could only hope his friends were ready to defend themselves.

It wasn't long before the door burst open, the sound sending agonizing impulses through the tech's head. He now had this sort of reaction to relatively loud noises. Henderson's expression, however, made him feel even worse.

"I suppose you heard it, Benjamin," the captor hissed. The Englishman shrugged.

"Could be anything," he replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"What? An accident?" Henderson actually resembled a giant snake right now. Maybe it was due to glowing yellow eyes and huge fangs… Benji shook his head, trying to shrug the image off. It was clearly time for another injection.

"Accidents happen all the time," the tech quipped quietly, as the pain in his head grew stronger with every heartbeat.

"Looks like you don't realize it's not a joke," Henderson sighed in mock sympathy. "But I guess we have just enough time for you to understand it".

The sound of the door shutting made Benji jump and cover his head with his hands.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your reviews! I love you all! I hope you enjoy this chapter…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 7**

It was quiet in the back of the van. It wasn't the "nice" or "peaceful" kind of silence though, more of a heavy and uneasy one. Ethan was driving the vehicle to the IMF headquarters where, as he believed, they could get some information out of the mole, which had been already caught by Luther.

Jane was looking at Brandt, unable to distract herself from the fact that he was sitting exactly where Benji had been last time. The analyst paid no attention to her or anything else in particular, just staring into the empty space in front of him, much like the tech had been doing. The throbbing pain in his head was almost completely gone now, as all emotions had stepped aside, changing into the now much welcomed numbness. His eyes were closed but he seemed to be awake.

After about an hour of such silence Jane finally decided she couldn't take it anymore. With a deep sigh she got herself closer to the analyst.

"How did it happen?" he asked without opening his eyes, having sensed her movement. Hearing no reply, he finally looked at her, and Carter could swear she had never seen an expression like that on his face. It was close to the one he had had in Dubai, while telling the story about Ethan's wife. But it was so much more broken now.

"What did he do?" Brandt asked again, his voice unnaturally calm.

"I've told you," Jane answered reluctantly. "He was so weird, and then he said…"

"That's not what I'm asking," William's voice was almost a whisper. "How did he do… _it_?"

Carter's mouth felt dry, as some invisible force grabbed her throat.

"We don't know," she finally replied. "We never saw… him… after getting this note".

"You don't know," Brandt repeated and smirked bitterly. So his friend's body was still lying somewhere, unidentified or maybe still not found… For some reason it was really bothering him.

There was another heavy silence, when suddenly the voice from the driver's seat broke it.

"We're being followed," Ethan sounded nervous, as he tried to think through the possible ways out of the situation. "Hold on tight!"

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For a second Benji wondered what Henderson could have possibly meant by those last words. What was he going to do? And then the simple answer hit him: _nothing_. He was not going to give the tech any antidote. For a while. Henderson wouldn't let him die yet, as he still needed him. What he could do, however, was show him more of what the virus could do. Benji swallowed hard. There was no point in these thoughts anyway. What mattered was that he was left alone in the room. It was an opportunity he might never have again. A chance to find out more about the virus and the way to upset Henderson's plans.

Blinking away the increasing headache (_and some Ewoks messing around in the darkened corner_), he started to type furiously. Eventually a smirk would appear on his face but he didn't know himself whether it was a smile or just a spasm. He didn't know how long he had been going till painful tremors in his hands made it impossible to go on. Soon the tremors spread through his body. It felt like he was being electrocuted. And he knew it was only the start.

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Ethan took one sharp turn after another, trying to confuse the people following them. He hoped to somehow get away in the traffic and turn into some small road eventually. As he did so, he realized he had led his team straight into a trap, as they hadn't lost the persuasion, and as soon as they found themselves in an empty alleyway, the all too familiar sound of gunfire started, followed by the noise of the van's bulletproof surface being hit. Brandt and Jane could hear the pounding of their hearts in their ears as their leader somehow managed to drive into another lively road, maneuvering smoothly between the passing cars. After what seemed like hours they seemed to have lost their tail.

"Henderson?" Jane finally spoke up.

"Who do you think?" Ethan answered without looking away from the road.

As they finally got to the HQ and got out of the van, Ethan turned his attention to Brandt. The analyst looked completely exhausted, and it was fully understandable, to be honest.

"Brandt, get some sleep," he ordered as soon as they walked into the building. William nodded indifferently. "I'll go talk to Luther. Jane…"

"I'll go with you," Carter interrupted. She wanted to find out about Henderson's plans. Maybe get to talk to his man. She just needed to do something.

An hour and a half later, after having to tell Luther about what had happened to Benji in person, agents Hunt and Carter were waiting to meet the mole. Both of them were tired but they knew they wouldn't be able to rest until they figured the whole thing out. Both were lost in their thoughts, oblivious to the time passing by, as the door opened, letting in a young agent they remembered seeing once or twice. He looked worried.

"Agent Brandt is missing," he blurted out. "He's nowhere near his room".


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Here's another chapter… I hope you don't want to kill me after reading it…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible_.

**Chapter 8**

Ethan shut his eyes. _Great, now we have a missing and still not completely recovered agent to worry about. Maybe it has a perfectly normal explanation…Maybe he just needed some quiet time alone after the news he had heard that morning._ Ethan highly doubted his last thought. Not with Henderson's people after them. He tried to phone the analyst, and, just as he expected, there was no reply.

"What are we going to do?" Jane asked helplessly.

"We interrogate the mole first," the leader replied after a short pause. "That way we can know where to look for Brandt… if they've got him".

Carter nodded, too tired to argue.

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Agent Dunn seriously wondered how many days had passed since he had been left alone in that room. It certainly felt like weeks or even months. The lights were way too bright, and he decided it would be best not to open his eyes. Not like he could see much anyway. And when he could see something, it tended to be something out of the current reality. He could deal with something entirely mad, because he knew it couldn't be real. But some of his visions looked way too life-like. His team getting hurt or killed with him unable to help them… and feeling somehow responsible… Their accusing glares haunting him like the worst nightmares he could ever have. And he didn't know what was real any more.

The pain wouldn't go away, only rising slowly, dull and exhausting. He couldn't pinpoint its source, as everything hurt. It was like someone had lit a small fire inside of him, and it was growing stronger every second, until everything felt like it was burning.

Tears were sliding down the tech's face, as he finally let out a pained growl, which soon grew into a terrifying scream. That is, it would have been terrifying if someone had been there to hear it. But there was nobody there. He was alone. Abandoned and forgotten.

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"What are Henderson's plans?" Ethan asked, looking at the man in front of him as if he could drill a hole in him with his stare. Agent Riley, as he called himself, (and Ethan didn't give a damn about finding out his real name) was already prepared for the talk and, as Luther had put it, "eager to answer all the questions".

"I-I don't know," "Riley" answered, swallowing nervously. "I've heard it has something to do with some virus…"

Ethan sighed, knowing that Jane probably had just done the same.

"What does he want with us?" he proceeded.

"Nothing. He doesn't want anything from you".

"His people are following and trying to kill us," Carter intruded, and the leader had to hold out an arm in order to keep her from attacking the fake agent.

"If he wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now," Riley retorted.

"You still haven't answered," Ethan was growing impatient. "Why did he order his people to watch us?"

Riley swallowed again.

"He… he needs you to keep one of the IMF agents under control. As leverage".

Jane and Ethan exchanged glances. So Henderson had an IMF agent. But who could it be? It had to be someone who cared about them enough for them to be used to threaten him.

"Who is this agent?" Ethan asked, wearing one of his most menacing expressions.

"Agent Benjamin Dunn".

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Henderson was sitting in his chair, listening to his favorite music. Everything was going just according to plan. The only thing that was bugging him was that they had lost the IMF team. But he was quite sure that after the lesson the technician was learning at the moment he would do everything needed even without that measure of influence. Just in order to prevent such "lessons" from happening in the future. He looked at the clock and smirked, as he decided to give it another couple of hours. Pain was a great motivation if used correctly.

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The name that had just sounded caused the effect equal to a nuclear explosion. The silence in the room was so thick it was pressing on everyone's eardrums. Ethan didn't know how long it had been when suddenly his phone rang. Noticing Brandt's name on the screen absentmindedly, he pressed the answer button.

"Ethan, I'm sorry I didn't pick up, I just…"

"Where the hell have you been?" the team leader exploded, as the analyst's voice seemed to have brought him from his trance. Without waiting for an answer, he went on, feeling that what he was about to say was way more important. "Benji's alive!"

There was a short pause before Brandt's voice was heard again.

"I know".


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Once again, thank you for your lovely reviews! You are great! I hope this chapter will not disappoint you…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible…_

**Chapter 9**

Brandt was somewhat relieved to finally be left alone in the room one of the agents had shown him. He clearly wasn't quite ready to this amount of exhausting happenings, both physically and mentally. He practically fell onto a bed, letting his aching head rest on the pillow. He tried to clear his mind of all thoughts but it didn't work. Their mad chase with Henderson's people, his anger and Jane and Ethan… But no matter how hard he tried to at least control his mind to stay away from the most dreaded thing, it still kept coming back to it. _Benji_. How could it have happened? Brandt couldn't believe he could have missed suicidal behavior in his own best friend. Or maybe he was still concussed and this whole thing was a dream? Just a creation of his concussed brain…

The analyst closed his eyes, not noticing the tears he had been holding back all day streaming down his face. He couldn't get rid of the feeling he was missing something very important. If only he could get his head to stop aching… Benji's note was a bit weird. _Like your friend's suicide note can be NOT weird…_ And still, something about it was standing out. That last sentence. What was it? _"I'd be upset if he gave up on the plans he had told me about"_. What could that mean? It didn't look like just a figure of speech. It had to be some kind of a clue. And the fact that Benji hadn't written about it directly and chose a more subtle way meant he was aware that the team had been watched. Brandt had no idea what that clue could have possibly been leading to, he wasn't even sure it was a clue, and yet it gave him a crazy hope, and he tried to hold on to it.

He tried to remember his conversations with the technician. Anything that could fit… This task would have been much easier if his head had been more cooperative. After a few minutes his eyes shot open. Could this be _it_?... He got up and rushed to the exit, ignoring the fact that his tired body protested against these actions. The next thing he ignored was his telephone vibrating in his pocket as he was leaving the building, praying not to cross paths with any of Henderson's men at least this time. Taking a taxi might be a risky move but he had no choice. Maybe Lady Luck would smile at him for once?

On his way he had so many thoughts in his head he felt it could explode. So many hopes and so many fears… What if there were people sent to ambush him? What if someone had already been there and taken what he was looking for? What if his entire guess was wrong, and there was no clue, no hope? Brandt actually let out a relieved sigh as he got out of the car and headed to his apartment. Despite the need to often change homes this was probably his favorite one. He was actually hoping to keep it for a while if possible.

Another sigh escaped his mouth when he went inside and found everything just as he had left it. Looked like whoever was watching them thought is was unnecessary to track them down to the places they had stayed at before the mission.

His heart was racing as he opened a drawer and took out a shiny new mobile phone. His hands were shaking as he turned it on. About a minute later he was reading a text saying nothing but an address. He sat down, still staring at the screen and having no idea what it could possibly mean. The only thing he could be almost 100 percent sure about was that he knew who had sent the text, even though there was no sender's number.

After a few more minutes of silence he took his other phone and dialed Ethan's number. This was something they had to figure out once he got back to the HQ.

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Slowly the world was reappearing in front of agent Dunn's eyes. He knew he had passed out at some point, but it clearly wasn't soon enough, as it was way after he had stopped screaming due to sheer exhaustion and remained just gasping sharply and panting in agony.

Now, however, it was gone, and he was feeling nothing, as the drug was doing its job. He thought back to his actions. Even his mind seemed to be looking at everything from the outside, which was a good thing for analysis.

_Henderson is really stupid. In so many ways._ Leaving Benjamin Dunn in a room stuffed with fully functioning computers and thinking he couldn't pinpoint the location of the building they were in… and that he couldn't get access to any network he wanted by pulling the needed strings in the right order… and pass the needed message… That was incredibly stupid.

Even more stupid was the assumption that leaving him without the antidote would succeed at making him help Henderson. What it did do was just proving that Benji was on the right path with wanting to destroy those plans. Nobody should go through what he had been though.

Adding that last sentence to his "note" might have been the best idea he had ever had. Now he could only hope that Brandt had figured it out. And that he was okay. And that all of the team was okay. He suddenly realized he couldn't hear any "reports". And that could be either good news, or really bad news. That last thought made the tech's heart jump, taking away his temporary numbness, leaving a whole range of emotions instead.

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"So you've bought a new phone?" Ethan asked, barely able to keep his eyes open. It was so simple… kind of too trivial for their crazy lives to ask such questions.

"Yeah," Brandt nodded. Despite the sudden energy rush he felt shortly after reading the text (or, more likely, because of this rush) he was now half-asleep, as he tried his best to explain everything to his friends. "I've only told the number to Benji. I had no time to contact anyone else as we were called to the HQ for the mission. So I left it and decided to start using it after we came back," he remembered how Benji had laughed at him for making such a big deal of that phone to the point of keeping it secret for a while in order to impress the other agents with it. _He might hear that laugh again, after all…_

"The address is probably where they are…" Ethan mumbled and yawned.

Jane shook her head to concentrate.

"We know Henderson has Benji… we have to act fast".

Ethan sighed. He knew she was right but he had to disagree.

"We need to rest. We won't be any good in this state. We'll start in the morning".


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews! You are amazing! I hope you enjoy this one!..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 10**

The following morning the three agents were sitting in one of the rooms, sipping coffee in silence. They didn't have to ask each other to see that none of them had properly slept that night. Ethan had most likely been thinking through their plan, Jane and Brandt had both been replaying the past days' events in their minds. To Brandt it was much more tiring and confusing than to anyone else, as just in one day he had first found out that his friend was dead and the others had been lying to him to keep it secret, then learned they had all been followed, then had a crazy ride whilst being shot at, and _then_ realized that maybe his dead friend wasn't dead after all.

_Maybe_. The fact that Henderson had apparently stopped watching them was a relief since it allowed them to act freely. However, the reason for that remained a mystery, and a fear was growing inside the analyst's soul. So he didn't need them anymore. He didn't need any influence on Benji. Could it mean he didn't need Benji anymore?

Brandt looked around at his friends. He knew both of them had the same suspicion but were too scared to voice it. He hated uncertainty. Especially now.

Ethan sighed.

"So we've managed to get some photos of one of the local guards," he started, placing his empty mug onto the table. "The mask is already made. It will help me get inside the building. Jane will wait inside the van, ready to drive away any moment if needed".

"And what about me?" Brandt forced. Hunt shut his eyes. He would prefer the analyst to stay at the HQ, as he was obviously still in no shape for action. But he knew William well enough to understand that would never happen.

"You'll have to stay in the back of the van," Ethan's voice was applying as much authority as it could. Brandt smirked bitterly.

"And how exactly are you going to find Benji in there? One of your famous 'hunches'?"

The building they were heading for was somewhat isolated and not very big, but Ethan knew it was a legit question. The worst thing was that he didn't have an answer.

"We don't have enough time to plan it out any further," he admitted. "I'll figure it out," he added, and it sounded so hurried that it gave little to no reassurance to his teammates.

"I can take on one of the guards," he sighed. "Hopefully, they will be more talkative with a gun to their heads".

Brandt and Carter nodded. They decided not to say anything as long as they had a plan at least for now.

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"So, Benjamin?" Henderson sounded so chirpy that the technician barely resisted the urge to strangle him. "Is everything ready?"

_Oh, everything is ready alright,_ Benji thought, suppressing a smirk. It was quite easy to hold it back though, as he remembered his own plan in its entirety.

He had no idea how long he had spent in there. Neither did he know whether the virus he had was still in its contagious form. He was sure, though, that Henderson had no intention to let him live any longer than needed. There was a slight hope that his team had received his messages. But Benji couldn't be sure about that, either. He had to face a high possibility of having to go down with this entire ship. And every second got him closer to that moment. Benji raised his head for a moment and noticed that Henderson's armed bodyguard was standing near him. Maybe he was standing just too close to be safe…

Henderson watched as the tech was typing something. Soon the samples in all of his laboratories would be released…

"The process has started," Dunn proclaimed quietly after a few silent minutes. And then something totally unexpected happened.

Within a mere second the tech managed to launch himself at the guard and grab his gun. A gunshot echoed around the entire building as the man fell to the floor dead. Henderson had nothing to do but raise his hands as he was looking down the barrel.

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Ethan entered the building without any problems. Because this was the time for problems. He didn't know what to do next. He looked around him hesitantly, hoping to find someone who could turn out helpful.

Suddenly, Ethan heard a sound he could identify without any doubt. It was definitely gunfire. Without wasting any time, he rushed towards its source, trying to take out as many guards as possible on his way.

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Benji's head hurt like hell after that loud noise. His little stunt took quite a lot of his strength which he was now losing rapidly.

"So you're gonna kill me," Henderson sounded way too calm for a man in his situation. "What's next? The virus will spread. _You_'ve just made it happen. You still lose".

"Not really," the tech's voice was going hoarse. "You shouldn't have given me access to all that information. Particularly to the climate control system in your laboratories".

"But I didn't… what?"

"Well, you didn't, but I got that access anyway," Benji blinked as his vision was getting blurry. _Not now._ "And now in all of your laboratories it is becoming really hot".

Henderson swallowed. He knew the heat was what could kill the virus.

"You are going to die, though. I won't give you the antidote," he smirked.

"Good thing I've already written the note then," _yeah, Benji, go all James Bond on him, maybe this way he won't see how scared you are._ "So I think _you_ lose, actually," Benji raised the gun and took a better aim, preparing to pull the trigger. But couldn't. His hand unclenched, and the gun fell to the floor with a thud. Trying to regain control over his limbs, the tech bowed down to pick it up but a heavy kick to the face sent him to the floor. When his vision cleared a bit, it was his turn to look down the barrel. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting Henderson to see any emotion in them.

"How convenient that you have already written that note," he heard Henderson's cold voice.

Once more, a sound of a gunshot echoed through the building.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Wow, thank you for your reviews! You are all awesome! Hope you enjoy this chapter…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 11**

Benji could literally feel his skull shatter into pieces, the pain of it being fully appropriate to the situation. He reckoned it wouldn't take long for him to actually die so that the pain would go away. So he waited. And waited. And his head still hurt. And his body was still shaking in convulsions, which were suddenly very strong. It felt like someone was shaking him with a significant force. He finally decided to open his eyes and had to blink several times in order to clear his vision from the dark spots. He saw a man who was holding him by the shoulders. He seemed to be saying something or even shouting but Benji couldn't hear him through the ringing in his ears. The man made some movements (the tech wasn't very good at catching movement now) and looked at him again. For several seconds the Englishman just stared at that man blankly, before breathing a barely audible "Ethan?"

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Ethan ran towards the place where the gunshot had sounded from, praying to have taken the right way… and for that gunshot to not have been what he feared. He finally reached the end of a corridor and saw a door there. Carefully, he tried to open it, and realized it wasn't locked. He slid through it just it time to see Benji (_not dead!_) lying on the floor, Henderson pointing a gun at him. Hunt didn't have to think before sending a bullet into the enemy's head. Seeing how there was no reaction from the technician, the leader rushed to his side.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Benji's entire body was shaking, and he just wouldn't come to his senses.

"Benji?" Ethan yelled. "Benji! Come on! Wake up! Look at me!"

He ignored Brandt and Jane's alarmed voices in his earpiece as both of them were asking him what was going on almost in unison.

Finally the tech opened his eyes and stared at him without any expression at all. It scared Ethan how empty Dunn's eyes now were. It then hit the leader: he still had his mask on. However, when he took it off, the tech still showed no recognition. What the hell was going on?

"Ethan?" Benji finally whispered, as his eyes managed to focus a bit.

"Yeah, that's right," it didn't give Hunt that much relief that his friend had finally recognized him. Benji didn't seem to have even heard his words.

"I p-programmed it… m-might start a f-fire… explode…" the tech's shaking made him stutter really badly. Ethan didn't quite understand what he was talking about but the effort Benji was evidently putting into those words told him it was important. He picked him up and hurried (as much as he could) to the exit. Benji's convulsions were getting more and more violent, nearly making Ethan drop him at some point.

Just as they got into the van, the team leader told Jane to start the engine without a second's delay. She obeyed, looking at the mirror to see her teammates.

"What's wrong with him?" Brandt's mouth was completely dry as he watched his friend convulse near him. _Right where he had been after getting shot_.

"No idea,' Ethan blurted out, as the analyst joined him in search for any injuries.

William placed his hand on Benji's forehead and winced.

"He's burning up," he croaked.

Suddenly they heard a loud noise behind them. A glance at the rear mirrors was all they needed to realize the building Ethan and Benji had just left was on fire. Not caring much about that, Ethan and Brandt turned back to their technician whose eyes were now rolling in their sockets. He was apparently hallucinating, waving his arms around, as he appeared to be fighting whoever came close. Brandt pressed his hand against his friend's forehead once again.

"Benji," he yelled, trying to get the tech to look him in the eye. "Benji, it's me! It's Brandt! You are safe now, you're gonna be fine!"

Oddly enough, it seemed to work. The younger man's eyes finally focused on the analyst's, and his shaking visibly eased.

"That's it, Benji," Brandt tried to sound as reassuring as possible, despite the fact he could use some reassurance himself right now. "We're taking you to hospital. We'll help you".

Benji kept looking at him, putting a lot of effort into trying to stay focused. A single tear rolled down his face, as he shut his eyes tightly and let out a pained growl.

Brandt's worry was now at the stage of pure panic. His head was spinning, but he tried his best to ignore it. He glanced at Ethan, who now looked uncharacteristically lost and helpless. Suddenly, the team leader winced as he rolled the tech's sleeve up. There, he and Brandt both saw several punctures.

"Some drug?" William suggested, swallowing hard.

"Looks like it," Ethan tried to keep his voice calm even though Benji's growls were now verging on screams.

"We're there," Jane proclaimed, bringing the van to a stop. Brandt looked at his friend once again. _Everything is going to be fine now... Is it?_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Thank you for your wonderful reviews! This chapter is quite short but I hope it's not disappointing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 12**

The three agents felt absolutely useless as they sat in one of the hospital's halls. Brandt rubbed his eyes fiercely.

"Maybe you could use some sleep," Jane suggested, not really hoping for him to agree. The glare he gave her crashed what little hope she had.

The analyst knew his friends were exhausted, too, but even thinking about getting some rest now looked like betrayal. He didn't want to miss anything. Last time he woke up from a proper sleep ended up with him finding out about the tech's "death" shortly afterwards. He wasn't ready for that happening again. If only staying awake could guarantee that Benji wouldn't die now… William blinked several times, trying to hide the tears filling his eyes. He had to hold on. Had to stay strong.

They saw a doctor heading towards them, and the three pairs of eyes looked up at him with almost childlike expression of waiting for a wonder.

"How is he?" Ethan asked before the doctor even reached them.

"Are you family?" the doctor asked tiredly, moving his gaze from one of them to another in hesitation.

"Yes," Jane cut off, her tone preventing any arguments. Ethan's glare made the doctor stop his doubts, despite the three people in front of him looked nothing like relatives.

"Well," the doctor sighed. The team knew sighs like this didn't mean anything good, and all three of them felt their blood run cold. "We had to give him some painkillers. It was a risk but we had to take it because otherwise chances were high for him to die from pain alone". He had to make a pause, letting the information sink in.

"Why… why was it a risk?" Ethan had always been the first one to regain control upon his emotions.

"We didn't know if it could have any side effects," the doctor sighed again. "We are running all tests we can think of, but we can't detect what is wrong with Benjamin".

"But… but there were punctures on his arm," Brandt spoke at last. "He could have been drugged…"

"I am sorry, but we can't find anything in his blood. We keep running tests but I'm afraid we can't say anything positively yet".

There was a few seconds' silence, before the door the doctor had just walked out from burst open, and he rushed back, leaving the three agents alone once again.

None of them could speak. It didn't feel like they were supposed to say anything. They found themselves involuntary moving closer to each other, looking at the door and waiting for whatever was about to happen next. Several nurses ran inside. It seemed like the agents' hearts stopped beating after reaching somewhere midway through their throats. It seemed like time had frozen around them as they just waited.

Finally the door opened, letting out the same doctor who now looked even grimmer than before.

"What happened?" Jane asked as soon as she had spotted him, not wanting to wait for him to cross the hall. They could probably come up to him themselves but the fatigue and the paralyzing panic didn't let them even stand up.

"Benjamin has developed multiple internal bleedings. He started coughing up blood".

Jane's face began to crumple. She knew both William and Ethan felt the same way she did.

"It looks like all his systems are giving up on him. We had to put him in a coma, because the painkillers couldn't do it anymore".

"Can we go to him?" Ethan's voice was low and hoarse.

The doctor nodded, before adding:

"We are doing all we can, but you need to get prepared for the worst. I am sorry". He sighed and disappeared into one of the corridors.


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Thank you for reading and leaving reviews! I hope this chapter won't be a disappointment!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the movie!_

**Chapter 13**

For the first time during the entire mission agent Jane Carter regretted that Ethan had killed Tom Henderson. Now, as she was looking down at her fellow agent all she could think about was how much she wanted to somehow bring Henderson back to life and make sure he suffered the most painful death imaginable. She hadn't felt this way ever since Moreau had killed Trevor. She had had her vengeance back then… She shook her head. Those thoughts were getting her nowhere.

Brandt was sitting in a chair by the bed, looking at his friend's pale face. He looked like a ghost. He was much thinner than when the analyst had last seen him; his features, half hidden by the oxygen mask, were still bearing the traces of pain, despite his unconscious state. He looked so fragile that William began to fear that if he blinked, Benji would disappear into the thin air. He took the technician's limp hand in his, surprised at how cold it now was.

"Hey," he said, feeling somewhat awkward. "You know, I'm a bit angry at you. I woke up at hospital after a gunshot wound and a concussion, and you were gone. We thought we've lost you, imagine that! And then we found you… and you are still not with us," William knew he was babbling but for some reason he just needed to keep that stupid joking tone. "Are you avoiding us? We'll have to talk about your behavior as soon as you get better. Just…" _when exactly did he begin to cry?_ "Just get better, will you?"

The analyst fell silent and looked at Carter who was sitting opposite from him. Her face was covered in tears she didn't even seem to be acknowledging. For a while nobody spoke, lost in their own minds.

Ethan stood by the window, looking outside but not really seeing the street.

"I shouldn't have killed Henderson," he broke the silence, causing the other two agents to look at him questioningly. Jane jumped slightly as these words mirrored her thoughts.

"Why?" Brandt asked, having swallowed the lump in his throat. Ethan let out a breath before finally facing his team.

"What's happening… what's going on with Benji… it's obviously the 'virus' Riley mentioned when we questioned him. If Henderson invented the poison, he might have had the antidote," Ethan's mouth became a thin line. "And I've taken Benji's chance away from him".

"Ethan, you had no choice," Jane recollected herself at last, walking up to the leader. "If you hadn't shot him…"

"Exactly, _shot_ him," Hunt was getting increasingly irritated as he spoke. "I could have just shot him non-fatally…"

"You couldn't have been sure if he had been incapacitated or not," Brandt reasoned, still sitting in his chair and holding Benji's hand.

"And you didn't even know if anything was wrong with Benji at all," Jane concluded, trying to bring calm into their conversation".

"It's not your fault, Ethan," Brandt knew just too well what guilt issues were, and fully realized that his words weren't helping much. But he still felt he had to say it.

Suddenly a crazy thought blasted through his mind. The same kind of thought he had had the day before. _Or was it two days already?_ Only now it was more of a desperate hope. Like when people try to hold on to the air while falling. Carefully placing the tech's hand onto the bed, he started to search through his pockets frantically.

"_Shit!_" it sounded so harsh and loud that it made the other two agents flinch and turn their heads to him.

"I've lost my phone," he whimpered in response to Ethan's strict look. When the look grew into an exasperated glare, he started pacing.

"Do you think Benji could have worked with a potentially dangerous virus without trying to find a way of defeating it? He might be ill, but he wasn't—_isn't_ stupid!"

"Well, maybe he did try," Ethan argued. "What makes you think he succeeded?"

"Nothing," Brandt stopped, feeling that the spinning of the walls around him became too intensive. "But do you have any other ideas?"

The team leader nodded.

"I'm gonna call the HQ and ask the tech team to see if there are any messages sent to your number".

"Right," William nodded, walking up to the leader to give him the number. The sudden wave of action was really comforting. It felt like they were doing something. It felt like they weren't helpless.

Their animation didn't last long, though, as just in a few seconds several machines started beeping in different manners. The agents just stood there and watched the doctors rush into the room…


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Thank you for staying with me all this time :) Here's another chapter. I hope you like it…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 14**

The three agents were standing in the corridor after being forced out of the room. Jane and William were looking inside through the glass window but couldn't make out much from the mess that was going on. They didn't know what was actually happening but it didn't look like anything good. Ethan was still on the phone, trying to focus on his conversation, although now and again his gaze would travel to the window his friends were looking through. He ended the call quickly and joined the other two agents.

"They'll call back if they find anything," he replied to Brandt's questioning look. Without a word both agents turned back to the window.

Finally, the door opened again. The doctor who walked out looked completely exhausted.

"Benjamin… has had a cardiac arrest," he breathed, not waiting for them to ask any questions. "We've managed to bring him back but… he is unlikely to survive the next one".

Brandt felt that everything around him was moving way too much as the three of them walked back into the room and took their previous positions. He knew he really needed some rest but mentally got angry at himself for just thinking that. From time to time he looked at Ethan, expecting any news from the tech team. What was taking them so long? Benji would have done it much faster. He looked at the technician again. _What if they don't find the antidote? And even if they do, won't it be too late? What if he doesn't make it?_ Some of those questions he must have had mumbled out loud, because, as he noticed, Jane's eyes were now fixed on him, the expression in them verging on rage.

"How can you think that?" she finally hissed. "After all we've been through! Back in Mumbai we managed to do the impossible because we didn't lose our hope. And both you and Ethan kept telling me that we can do this. And Benji would have told me the same but he didn't want to waste any time before going to save your ungrateful ass!"

"Ungrateful?" Brandt felt even more hurt now. Those words were cruel and unfair. Besides, it wasn't just his "ungrateful ass" that had depended on Benji's actions back then. Switching the power on seemed slightly more important to the bigger picture.

"And we did it! We are strong, all of us," Jane seemed to be a bit calmer now. "So give Benji more credit. He's tough".

The analyst nodded. He knew anger was Jane's way of coping with bad things. And he knew Benji was tough. He wanted to believe he was tough enough to pull through, but he had seen what the tech had already been through. And he had seen only part of it. Everyone has his limits, and the question was just how long Benji could last until he reached his.

Lost in those thoughts, he nearly missed some movement near the window as Ethan answered a phone call. They couldn't understand whether it was something good, as all he said was "yes" and "got it" and the expression on his face remained unreadable.

The leader ended the call and looked at his team.

"There _was_ another text sent to your phone, Brandt. And it was a formula. They've just finished checking it. I'm going to the dean of this hospital so they can e-mail the results to him or her". He went to the door and stopped before exiting the room, turning to the other agents. "We can do this," he managed a small smile before hurrying out.

Brandt and Carter looked at each other and almost simultaneously let out a breath they didn't know they had been holding. Everything was going to be fine now. And then the dreaded beeping started again, kicking both agents' relief out of them. The medics rushed past, as William and Jane were being pushed out of the room for the second time.

The doctor approached them once again with an almost apologetic look.

"We are doing our best," he started. "But we can't fight this forever. Benjamin is dying. Even if we bring him back this time, it will happen again and again. His condition is only getting worse".

Tears were streaming down Jane's face. Brandt squeezed his eyes shut with an effort. No way were they giving up now. Not after getting this far. Or, better to say, this close. This close to fixing everything.

"I know," William replied, grabbing the doctor by the arms: partially to make the man pay more attention to what he was going to say and partially to steady himself. "But we have found the cure. Your dean is getting the formula as we speak. All we need is just a little more time," he felt hot tears on his own cheeks but ignored them. "Please".

The doctor nodded before going back inside.

"We've got a pulse," he declared after a few more agonizing moments.


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: once again, thank you for your wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 15**

Brandt woke up with a start. He didn't remember falling asleep. Even more, he didn't remember going anywhere to sleep, but the room he was in was obviously not Benji's. He sat in the bad, trying to remember anything that would help him. Maybe everything that he thought had happened in the past few days was just a dream, and only now he was waking up after his injuries. And his friends were waiting for him. And Benji was there with them, and he was alright. It was then that he realized that he wasn't alone, as there was a female silhouette near the window. The woman must have heard his movement and turned to face him, turning out to be Jane. Her face was wet with tears and was wearing an expression he couldn't quite place.

"What happened?" He couldn't find a better question to ask. Jane's expression hardened with concern.

"Don't you remember?" she asked quietly.

Brandt thought back to the last things he acknowledged.

"They brought Benji back again, and then we just sat there, waiting for the lab personnel or whatever to make the antidote…" his mind was black after that point. Jane nodded.

"And then you fell asleep," she continued for him. The analyst flinched. "They moved you into a spare room".

"And I didn't wake up while they were doing this?" _I must have been really tired to sleep like that…_

"I guess you still haven't completely healed from your injuries".

"What did I miss?" William asked after a short pause. Jane looked away.

"He asked for you…"

"Who? Benji?" Brandt's heart skipped a beat as the female agent nodded. "Is he awake?" the analyst couldn't believe what he heard.

"Was awake. He wanted to talk to you, looked like it was something very important to him. But you were so fast asleep, you just wouldn't wake up…" Jane shut her eyes before continuing. "And then his heart stopped again. The doctors did everything they could, but this time he didn't pull through".

"What?" Brandt's mouth was completely dry.

"He must have spent all his strength on trying to call for you," William finally managed to identify the emotion in both her voice and face – it was blame. She was accusing him of what had happened. "And he never got to say what he needed to. He died because you weren't there".

"No," Brandt's voice was shaking. This could not be happening. Not again.

"And you just simply left him…"

"_No!_" Brandt screamed, his own voice ringing weirdly in his ears as he snapped and lifted his head up sharply, looking around, completely startled.

He was still sitting in his chair, and his head must have been resting on the edge of Benji's bed. And Benji was still in it, by the way. Still unconscious but definitely not dead. Brandt grabbed him by the wrist, checking for a pulse. Just to be secure.

He moved his gaze around the room. Opposite him, in her usual chair, was Jane, fast asleep despite the uncomfortable position she was in. She looked more peaceful than most of the times he had seen her, especially in the past few days. Ethan wasn't standing by the window anymore, as he occupied another chair on Brandt's side of the bed. He wasn't sleeping, either. Brandt sometimes wondered if Ethan Hunt ever slept at all, as he sometimes didn't seem to be even human.

The shock and disorientation in the analyst's eyes must have been quite noticeable, as the team leader was looking at him with concern.

"Bad dream," William shrugged and looked down sheepishly.

Ethan nodded in understanding.

"What's new?" Brandt whispered in order not to wake up Jane, hoping that her dream was nothing like his.

"They have made the antidote and are already giving it to him," Ethan also whispered. Seeing the analyst's confused look, he smiled. "You didn't even flinch in your chair when the doctor came. He suggested that we moved you out but I don't think you'd like it".

Brandt shrugged again, tightening his grip on the tech's wrist involuntarily. The heartbeat he felt in it, no matter how weak, was unbelievably comforting to him.

"Anyway," Ethan became serious again, "the doctors say they don't know exactly how long it will take for any improvement, as the damage that has already been done is quite bad. They can't be sure about anything," Ethan paused, remembering his attempts to convince the dean to try the formula they had received from the HQ. Even when there was no other hope left, the doctors didn't like it when random people told them what to do. It had been a difficult talk…

"But at least he has managed these three hours without another cardiac arrest," the leader added with a little sigh. "It's a good sign".

"Yeah…" Brandt's head was screaming for more sleep, and he couldn't help but lower it back onto the edge of the bed and close his eyes, hoping not to have any dreams this time.


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: Thank you for your lovely reviews! You are all amazing! I hope you like this chapter :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible…_

**Chapter 16**

The next time William woke up because somebody was gently pushing him back in his chair. Jane and Ethan were standing by his side, concern written all over their faces as they watched the doctor check on Benji's vitals. Brandt looked around him, bewildered, worried that something might have happened again. However, the atmosphere in the room didn't seem to be as panicked as previously. He drew a deep breath, calming down a bit.

Soon the doctor turned to them.

"Well, the process seems to be slowing down," he concluded. "With any luck he might turn on his way to recovery. I am sorry I can't go into detail since we don't even know exactly what we are dealing with. All I can say is don't lose hope".

He gave the trio a small smile and exited the room.

"Very reassuring, wasn't it," Brandt knew his sarcasm was out of place now but he just couldn't help it when he was worried.

"Yes, it was," since when had _Jane_ become the optimistic one?... "We just need to wait".

The analyst hung his head sheepishly. He wanted to believe it. He wanted to trust his hopes. He was just afraid that the higher he got in his hopes, the lower he would fall. The more painful reality's slap in the face would be.

"We'll wait," Ethan mirrored the female agent under his breath.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

And they waited. Days passed, and inevitably they had to book a hotel room. At least one of them stayed with the technician, while the other two had some rest. The turning point was when the doctor had proclaimed that the processes of destruction had stopped, and Benji was slowly recovering. That day was remarkable as it was the day the three agents remembered how to smile. Not with those guiltily apologetic bitter smiles but actual relieved grins. The grins Benji himself would have been proud of.

He still had to stay unconscious during the healing process since, as the doctors explained, the pain would be too strong. The agents agreed. They didn't want him to suffer any more, he had had enough pain.

A few more days later (time was a tricky thing for them to follow right now) the doctor decided that Benji would be able to breathe by himself, and the oxygen mask was finally removed from his face. His fellow agents met this event with cheer but soon it grew into some more mixed feelings. It was relieving to finally see him, to know that every breath he took was his own effort. But, on the other hand, each one of his features bore the trace of what he had been through. It reminded them just too much of the day they had found him, shaking, hallucinating and screaming in agony. For quite a while the smiles disappeared again, as the agents felt uneasy every time they looked at the tech.

They got used to it, though. There are a lot of things you can get used to, a lot of things you can get over.

Then there were the days when Benji just "rested", taking his time to wake up. Those were the days when the worry came back. They had to wait, looking for any flinch, any sign of a tiny movement. And it was quite tiring. Exhaustion led to nervousness, which brought more exhaustion.

"Do you know what I'm gonna do as soon as you get better?" it was Brandt's turn to stay with the tech this time. The analyst was feeling much better now that he was finally able to sleep. And his injuries were doing much better, too. He didn't know if Benji could even hear him but he had to try. Besides, he was getting bored with just sitting there in silence. He made a pause and went on. "I'm gonna punch you. In the face…" he almost sang the last three words to make them more impressive.

Right at that same moment he thought he heard something. The rhythm of the sound of the machines his friend was still attached to seemed to have changed. Feeling his own heart pounding in his ears, he looked attentively at the technician's face, waiting for his eyes to open, to hear some kind of a witty comeback, anything. But nothing happened. Everything was back to normal. Or, better to say, to its usual state of non-normality.

Brandt cursed under his breath.

It was that night when everything went upside down. William was asleep in the hotel room when suddenly his old phone rang. His heart was racing as he took it with a shaking hand, suddenly remembering his hospital dream. He didn't even have the time to say anything after pressing the answer button.

"Get here. Quick," Jane sounded agitated. To his increasing worry, Brandt couldn't tell whether it was a good thing. The next thing she said, however, knocked his breath out of him, nearly making his legs give out, and he had to sit down to stop the world from spinning around him. "Benji's awake".


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: So here is the final chapter! Thank all of you for staying with me all this time! And thank you for your wonderful reviews! You are all amazing! Special thanks to PeggsterLover for the support :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Mission: Impossible._

**Chapter 17**

Brandt was making his way in the dark of the night, trying not to wake up his fellow agents in their bedrooms. The only light in the apartment was from the moon which shone brightly through the windows. For some reason, the walls of his own bedroom seemed to be pushing on him, choking him in the process. He put his t-shirt on, quietly made it to the sofa in the living room and practically fell into it, his face buried in his hands. It was all over. It had been over a month now. And yet his hyper-active mind didn't want to rest. Well, he _was_ an analyst for a reason.

What annoyed him most was that there was nothing left to analyze, really. Everything was clear. The mole had been caught, Henderson was dead, and the virus had been taken care of. But he just wanted to blame someone for what had happened. For what had happened to Benji. Maybe it was Ethan's fault for not checking the information properly. Maybe it was Jane's for being so late with her help. Maybe it was Benji's fault for not looking around him in that hotel room. Maybe it was _his own_ fault for not rushing to his friend's aid when he had first suspected something. It didn't matter anymore, after all. But his mind still wouldn't leave him alone.

"Can't sleep?" the voice with an English accent sounded near him. It was quiet and weak, nearly a whisper, and yet it made Brandt jump. He took his hands away from his face to see the technician sitting in an armchair beside the sofa. In the moonlight he looked mortally pale and almost transparent. Too ghost-like for the analyst's liking.

"What are you doing here?" was all Brandt could say as the initial shock began to subside. Benji shrugged and looked away, not saying anything.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" William had every right for the strictness he applied to the question. Benji was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt, which showed that he clearly hadn't even gone to bed that night.

"I've been doing little else for the past weeks," the tech smiled unhappily. He paused hesitantly before continuing, not wanting to flood his friend with images that had been filling his head all this time. "Feels like if I go to sleep, I might never wake up again".

Brandt swallowed hard, feeling chills down his spine. Too many times had they been afraid of the same thing. For too many times it had nearly happened.

"Coffee?" the technician suggested. Brandt knew Jane and Ethan would be very mad at him for not making Benji go to his room and get some sleep. But it was the first time they got to talk to each other after Benji's recent release from the hospital. Benji hadn't talked much since then, to be honest. And they didn't want to push him. After a few seconds' pause William nodded, wincing at how unsteady his friend looked when he stood up. Benji seemed to have noticed that wince.

"Are you alright?" he asked. The question nearly made Brandt yell at him. _Of course I am not alright, how can everything be alright after all this mess._ But it wasn't what he said. "Yeah," he just stood there for another second. "It's good to have you back".

"Thanks. Though that's not what I thought you'd say," for the first time in a long while Benji's voice had some expression in it. Brandt just had a problem identifying it.

"What did you think?"

"Thought you were gonna punch me in the face or something," Benji shrugged nonchalantly.

The analyst didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt that he was sort of going for both options. He threw his arms around his friend, squeezing him tightly, barely feeling the tech's weak attempt at returning the hug.

"Benji?" he half-sobbed as he finally pulled away, his arm still around the younger agent's shoulders.

"Hmm?"

"I've lost my new phone".

It suddenly sounded so funny and childish to him that he started laughing again, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm down. He froze, however, when he sensed the all too familiar shaking from his friend, the flashbacks making his blood run cold. He quickly looked at the Englishman's face and let out a relieved sigh.

"That sucks," tears were running down Benji's cheeks as he was trying to suppress both them and the quiet chuckles which made his body shake. "But you'll get another one. A better one".

Five minutes later both of them were having strong coffee in the kitchen. Ten minutes later both were asleep, sitting on the sofa, some old action movie playing on the television screen in front of them.

THE END


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